


Nightmare

by palmedfire



Category: Valor Series - Tanya Huff
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-23
Updated: 2017-10-23
Packaged: 2019-01-21 23:04:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12467964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/palmedfire/pseuds/palmedfire





	Nightmare

**Author's Note:**

  * For [flowersforgraves](https://archiveofourown.org/users/flowersforgraves/gifts).



They were pinned down. The air reeked of sweat, fear, and burning flesh. The heavies were using the flamethrowers and still the lizards were coming. Binti Mashona fired her rifle again and again, each shot dropping a lizard, but for every one she dropped, two more charged forward. They weren’t going to survive. So many already hadn’t. One of the thatched roofs caught on fire, adding smoke to the bouquet of foul aromas. Somewhere in the depths of her mind a voice whispered that this was wrong, that fires had been the attack before this one. But there wasn’t time to think about that. No time to think about anything other than acquire target. Shoot. Repeat. Reload as necessary. But the lizards kept coming. Again, that felt wrong. The last battle had been remarkably short, and yet she felt like she’d been shooting for weeks. 

A scream. She risked a glance to her right just in time to see one of the damned lizards shove a spear through Conn’s chest. She swung her KC around and fired, placing a bullet through the lizard’s skull. It didn’t change the fact that the man was dead, and someone would have to tell a four year old her daddy was dead.

No. That was wrong too. Conn had survived. She knew he’d survived. She’d been there when he’d been reunited with his daughter on the station. 

Target. Shoot. Reload. Don’t think, just survive. The fires were spreading, the smoke growing thick and choking. She coughed, the action spoiling her aim. She missed the lizard that was charging at her, and fell backwards as it slammed its head into her chest. She rolled, just enough that the spear pierced her arm, not her chest. The pain was still overwhelming. She screamed, half in pain, half in defiance as her KC slipped from nerveless fingers. The lizard roared back, yanking his spear free of her arm and lifting it to strike again. 

She should roll again. But everything suddenly seemed like it was in slow motion. The point of the lizard’s spear fell inexorably towards her chest. _Fuk_ she thought, _I don’t wanna die from a fukking **spear**_. She tried to roll again. Failed again. Screamed again.

And then woke up. Her blankets were twisted around her, and soaked in sweat. Just a nightmare. Of course. With a muttered curse she untangled herself from the covered and sat up, still breathing hard. She rested her face in her hands and tried to bring her ragged breathing back under control.

She tried to never sleep alone - having someone else in the bed usually kept the worst of the nightmares away. But tonight Ressk and Werst had grudgingly allowed Alamber in with them, and she couldn’t claim his attention all for herself. Well, this wasn’t the first nightmare she’d had alone. She could handle it herself.

With a sigh she stood and left her quarters, heading for the galley. Just a quick drink and snack to settle her nerves, and she’d be able to go back to bed. 

Somehow, she wasn’t surprised to see the light already on. Nor to see Torin sitting at the table, drink pouch in hand.

“Bad dreams Gunny?” Binti asked, dropping into a chair across the table and leaning back to pull a sleeve of crackers from the stores. 

Torin just nodded and held out a hand. “You?”

“Same,” Binti grunted as she pushed half the crackers out into Torin’s hand. They both fell silent, the only sounds the quiet ones of eating. Marines, even ex-Marines had nightmares. It was just a fact of life. There was nothing else to say.


End file.
